£8.5 Million Bid Accepted

Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan has announced that he has accepted a bid of £8.5 million from Wigan Athletic for 25-year-old England stand-by striker Andy Johnson.

It's believed that Wigan's willingness, and ability, to pay the full amount up front beat similar bids from Everton and Bolton Wanderers who wanted to pay in installments and by results.

Jordan was quoted as saying: 'Wigan have offered £8.5m on the nose and that is why I have given him permission to talk to Dave Whelan and Paul Jewell. They have behaved impeccably. That is the bottom line — £8.5m or nothing. Bolton came close with £8m, Everton have offered £7.25m, but it's not enough. He will go to the highest bidder.'

Johnson is due to feature in England's B squad against Belarus on Thursday night, then he is expected to meet Latics manager Paul Jewell at the JJB on Friday to have a medical and discuss personal terms.